ATHENS, Ga. – The No. 70 Columbia women’s tennis team was
tied with No. 40 Oklahoma State, 2-2, heading into the final three singles
matches Monday, but the Cowgirls took two of three to edge the Lions, 4-3, in the consolation match of the ITA Kick-Off Weekend tournament.

Oklahoma State was able to take the early lead, winning the
top two doubles matches to secure the doubles point. Kanika Vaidya and Lauren
Stratman came away with a win in the No. 3 match, downing Maria Alvarez and
C.C. Sardinha in a tiebreaker, 8-7 (8-6). The win evened doubles at 1-1, but
the 37th-ranked tandem of Bianca Sanon and Tiana Takenaga lost a tough match to
Oklahoma State’s Malika Rose and Kanyapat Narattana, 8-6, to give the Cowgirls the
point.

Sanon and Vaidya swung the match in favor of Columbia with a
pair of wins to begin singles action. No. 81 Sanon was able to ease by No. 89
Meghan Blevins, 6-2, 6-3, to even the score at 1-1. Vaidya followed with a
straight-set win of her own, toppling Sardinha, 7-6 (6-4), 6-1, to put the
Lions up 2-1.

The Cowgirls would not go away though, winning the next three
matches to secure to victory. Stratman went up a set early in the No. 4 match,
but Alvarez rebounded to take the next two and the match.

In the top match, No. 24 Nicole Bartnik evened the match at
one-set apiece after capturing the second set, but Rose was able to take the
final set, 6-2. Karyn Guttormsen closed the match out for Oklahoma State with a
6-3, 6-2 win over Ioana Alecsui in the No. 6 match.

Columbia got its third point with a win by Crystal Leung in the
No. 5 match. Leung took a final set tiebreaker, 10-8, to pick up the victory.

The Lions will host Florida International in its home-opener
next Sunday, Feb. 3 at the Dick Savitt Tennis Center. The match is scheduled to
begin at 12 p.m.